Sensational Comics 23
by D
Summary: Enter...the Chameleon!


The Hulk 23

Enter…the Chameleon!

To the average eye, the man sitting at the back of the bus station was utterly unremarkable. Average height, weight, even his face was bland enough to disappear from one's memory if you looked away. To the Chameleon, that was the intended goal. He slouched down in his seat and waited for his bus to arrive.

"A pity the robot was lost, but forget it. No revenge, no petty schemes. First bus to the coast and we'll try again. Might impersonate a movie star."

An older woman, reeking of old cigarettes and cheap perfume, poked his foot. "Hey buddy, call for you at the front."

The Chameleon jumped and nearly cursed in Russian. He managed to calm himself down before talking. "A call for me?" he said in a totally unaccented midwestern accent, "Are you sure?"

"Look, he said he wanted to talk to John Smith and told me your outfit and where you were sitting. You want to talk or not?"

"Of course, of course."

He picked the receiver up. "Hello?"

"Am I addressing the Chameleon?" The voice at the other end was smarmy and American.

"Who is this?" he hissed.

"Men will call me the Leader, but that's not important right now. I have a mission for you."

"I'm taking a vacation."

"Very Western of you, but hear me out. I need you to return to the Gamma Base. I've found your account and have wired one million dollars. Complete my tasks and there will be ten times that much."

"You are obviously a person with skill. Why hire me and not do it yourself?"

"No, for what I need only your skill set will suffice. Go to the lockers on the other side of the station. Locker number 63's key is under the phone. Inside is all the information." The line went dead.

"Hmm, this might be worth my while after all."

"Cap, you have to take me with you!" Rick Jones pleaded.

Captain America, Living Legend of World War II, shook his head. "Alright Rick, but we're going as civilians. No costumes, no code names. This is serious."

"I know, I know. Why do you think I want to come? Betty's a friend, and she wouldn't be in this mess if it wasn't for me. I owe her Cap."

"Ok, just follow my lead though. No running off by yourself. Uncle Sam wants this investigated quietly. If the Hulk has gone rogue, she has to be stopped."

The Chameleon made his way back onto the base easily enough. Generic face and basic army greens got him through the main gate, but the catch was finding General Ross. The Leader wanted him replaced, but further instructions would come later.

Making his way to the man's bungalow, he frantically knocked on the door. "General, sir, urgent message!"

Ross opened the door slightly. "What is it?" He was in his undershirt and looked like he'd been skipping sleeping in a chair for a few days.

The Chameleon slipped out a small gas gun, left with the instructions, and fired it through the crack. Ross gagged and dropped to the floor. It was simple to force the lock and enter the house before anyone happened by.

In short order the Chameleon dragged Ross into the bedroom and handcuffed him to the bed. One quick change later and General Ross left the house. "Now, all I have to do is wait."

The Hulk, meanwhile, had not been idle. She and Dr. Banner had been hopping around the Southwest, but they always seemed to find their way back near the Gamma Base. In all that time she never once turned back into Betty Ross.

"If we could get to my lab" Bruce found himself muttering. The Hulk glared at him.

"Why Banner need lab?"

"Hmm? Oh, nothing. I just like working, that's all." The Hulk grunted, but from her eyes it was clear she didn't quite believe him.

"Banner want to go back?" the Hulk drawled at length.

"With the entire US military hunting us? No thanks, I like being able to stretch my legs."

"Ok Ross, what is so important?" Morris didn't even glance up from his desk.

"I can get the Hulk."

"So you said before, but so far unless she's been hiding in a bottle of whiskey, I find your plan dubious."

The Chameleon narrowed his eyes. "I said I can find her. Call off the troops, let me go alone."

General Morris looked up. "Are you insane?"

"I know the Hulk, and I know sending out troops is going to get them hurt, maybe killed. Your planes, tanks, nothing's worked so far. One man can get closer, and she knows me. I can talk her down, maybe even right back to the base."

Morris shook his head. "Too risky. If you could do it before, why wait until now?"

The Chameleon paled under his makeup. "Had to wait until the time was right. We've tried everything else, correct?"

Morris sighed. "You have a point. Alright, I'll make the calls. I want you ready to mobilize ASAP."

The Chameleon drove out into the desert. Attached to the jeep's dashboard was a small box, not unlike a radar. "The Leader said this could track the Hulk." He followed the blips on the screen. The larger one moved occasionally, but it always seemed to return to a general area some miles ahead. "Ok, lets see if I can convince this stupid beast to follow me."

Banner was tending the campfire when he heard the Hulk leap to her feet. "What's wrong?"

"Someone comes. Why won't they leave Hulk alone?" She clenched her fists.

Seeing the small speck off in the distance, Banner squinted to see. "Looks like a jeep. I doubt the Army would send one vehicle out to capture us."

The Hulk stood still as the jeep grew closer. Banner smiled when he saw the driver. "General Ross!" The Hulk said nothing.

The jeep slowed to a stop. "Thank Heaven I found you two!" Ross slipped out of the jeep and shook Banner's hand. "It took a lot of doing, but I got the Army off your back."

"That's great!"

Ross shook his head. "But look, we can't have you two running around like the Lone Ranger and Tonto. You both need to come in, with me."

The Hulk growled. Ross held up his hands. "Look, I'd be happy to leave you alone, but there's more at stake than your privacy. Understand?"

Banner saw the Hulk's eyes flash green. In one smooth second she slapped Ross with the back of her hand. The general flew over the jeep and crash into the sand. "Hulk, what's wrong with you?"

"Funny little man not Ross. Hulk know Ross." She shrugged, as if the answer was obvious.

Banner rushed to the general's side and gasped. The man's face was partially torn off, exposing the smooth white mask of the Chameleon. "You!"

"Yes, curse you!" The Chameleon drew a flare gun from his boot and fired. The flare exploded over the darkening desert, creating almost a second sun.

Some distance away, General Morris lowered his binoculars. "Mission a failure. Go in boys."

The Hulk stomped towards the jeep. Banner dashed out of the way when he heard the retort. "What's that?"

The Chameleon dropped a smoke grenade. Banner focused his attention towards the sky as he saw several projectiles coming towards them. "Hulk, get out of here!"

The projectiles suddenly split; each one turned into a dozen or more smaller rockets blanketing the sky. The Hulk threw herself over him as they impacted around them. Gas flooded the area, but it didn't move with the wind. The gas solidified into a thick soup. The Hulk snarled and struggled against it, but she found herself growing weaker before passing out.

Banner's eyes refused to stay open. "If this stuff is strong enough to take out the Hulk…I've no chance!" he tried to think, but his limbs felt like they were stuffed with cotton. He slumped against her leg and passed out.

The Chameleon, adjusting his makeup, returned the troops' salute as they arrived. "Damn good work men, damn good work."

Back at the base, things were abuzz. The Chameleon waved off everyone and returned to Ross's quarters. Pulling a small radio kit out of his bag, he contacted the Leader. "Agent to L, agent to L"

"This is the Leader. Is the package secure?"

"Affirmative. Body and brain are locked up. Awaiting further orders."

"There is something Banner was working on, a gamma grenade. Steal it and bring it to me. I'll have a transport waiting for you in two hours, rendezvous point the hills near the base."

"Acknowledged." He turned the set off and stepped into the bedroom. Ross glared at him. He noticed the general's wrists were raw. "Now general, your daughter is safe and sound. A few more hours and I'll be out of your hair for good."

"Captain America, this is really an honor!" Morris pumped Steve Rogers hand furiously.

"I'm sure general, but if we could keep this on the down low. It's my understanding your men captured the Hulk?"

"Oh yes, we bagged her a few hours ago."

"Could we see her?" Rick Jones interrupted.

Morris glared at him. "That's a restricted area boy. When you get Captain America's clearance, maybe."

"Now Rick, we're not here to stir up trouble." Steve slipped his arm around Rick's shoulder. When Morris turned away, Steve leaned in close. "Slip in and see what you can learn. I'll keep the brass busy."

Rick nodded and stepped aside as Morris began to talk about his military career. He strolled outside and started looking around. "Ok, sneaking in is right out, but maybe if I was a guest?"

He headed towards the officer's quarters.

The Chameleon leaned back in Ross's easy chair. "So, take this fancy gadget to the Leader in an hour and I collect a fortune. Not a bad for a night's work." The sudden knocking at the door made him jump to his feet. Buttoning his shirt and checking his makeup, the Chameleon peeked through the peephole. "Who is it?"

"General Ross?" A teenager was on the stoop.

"What do you want?" The Chameleon debated leaving him outside, but then the boy might cause a scene.

"I need to talk about Betty. Can I come in?"

"Betty?" his mind blanked before he remembered. "Ah, the daughter, of course." He opened the door. "Come in lad."

"General, you have to help me. The Hulk, Betty, I know she's in trouble. Locking her up isn't going to do any good. If I can talk to her, I might be able to keep her calm."

"It's not up to me." The Chameleon started to sweat under his mask. "Look, it's late. Come back in the morning and I'm sure we work something up."

"I guess you're…hey!" Rick had turned around and barged into the living room. "What's with the crazy radio? And is that a bomb?" his hands went to the grenade.

"Are all American boys as rude as this?" The Chameleon wondered briefly before slamming a chair over Rick's head.

Picking the dazed youth up, he dragged him to the garage. "He might have friends, can't risk leaving him here. I have to find somewhere to dump him!"

The Hulk was angry. Banner could see it even if the guards couldn't. The green skinned amazon woke up and stood silently and still. Banner, stuck in the cell across from her, braced himself against the rear wall of his cell.

The Hulk looked intently at the floor before slamming her fist into it. The impact rattled his teeth. The Hulk slammed her fist again and again into the floor, punching through the steel, concrete, and dirt like it was tissue paper. She burrowed under the ground like an oversized rabbit.

Banner sighed and leaned back against the wall. "Well, this isn't going to end well."

The Chameleon drove around the base aimlessly. "There must be a place to hide this blasted idiot!" He saw the sign ahead. "Testing Range?"

The sentry saluted when he saw the general's car. "Sir, we've received word-the Hulk is loose!"

"Ah, ten four, thank you son. I believe I forgot some notes on the range, very important that I have them…" he heard explosions off in the distance. "Why don't you go and help the men? I can handle things here."

"Sir, you know I'm not allowed to abandon my post!" the sentry leveled his rife at the Chameleon's heart. "What's the password?"

"Frogs in winter." The Chameleon folded his arms. "Are you going to obey orders now?"

The sentry saluted. "Sir, thank you sir." He ran off towards the sounds of fighting.

"I must send the Leader a note of thanks." The Chameleon dragged Rick out of the and headed towards the rocket range.

Captain America rushed outside when he heard the first explosion. "General, order your men to fall back. I can handle this!"

The Hulk tore her way through right before the general's office. Cap readied his shield. "Hulk!"

She turned and looked at him. "What flag man want?"

"I want to help you!"

"Bah, Hulk needs no help!" She climbed out of the pit. "Hulk wants to be free."

"You can, but only if you don't attack people."

The Hulk glared at him. "Fake man, think he Ross."

"What?" Cap was caught off guard. He turned to Morris. "What's she talking about?"

"She went crazy, tried to attack her own father!" Morris tried to whisper, but it was clear from the snarling she heard him.

"No! That man was fake! Trying to trick Hulk, maybe sent by you!" She moved towards Morris.

"Hold it, I've had experience with plenty of masters of disguise. Hulk, if we talk to General Ross, would you allow that?"

That stopped her. She folded her arms and nodded. Which Cap took as a sign. "Ok Hulk, lead the way."

"Just you, no puny army men." She tucked Captain America under her arm and leaped. Morris collapsed to the dirt.

The Chameleon dumped Rick into the rocket sled. Hurrying back to the controls, he set the timer. "Five minutes and you'll be the fastest human on the planet…for about five seconds!"

He ran back to the car. Before he could turn the key, the Hulk crashed into the engine. Crawling out of the wreck, he stumbled back with the gamma grenade hidden behind him. "Stay away!"

"Hold it!" Captain America stepped out from behind the Hulk. "General, why are you on the testing grounds so late?"

"I was…trying to clear my head!" the Chameleon faltered. "Why is this animal not locked up?"

The Hulk snarled and lifted the ruined car overhead. "Fake man, where Ross?"

The Chameleon paled under his mask and fell to the ground. "Don't hurt me!"

"You know," Captain America, "Odd that a father would react to his own daughter like that."

"She's been turned into a monster!" The Chameleon felt the grenade's pin.

"Yes, but you've seen worse, or you would have, if you were the real Ross."

"Bah!" The Chameleon tore his mask free and held the grenade up. "Stay back! I put that Jones boy in the rocket sled, set to go off any second! Now I'm walking out of here" he was cut short when a red, white, and blue shield streaked through the night sky and nearly smashed his wrist. The grenade went flying as the shield returned to the outstretched hand of Captain America.

"Rick!" The Hulk leaped away towards the testing ground.

"Just you and me." Captain America glared at the Chameleon, who was busy rubbing his wrist. "You're no mastermind. Who are you working for?"

A helicopter appeared over them, nearly silent. A blinding flash of light turned the area into nearly day time as the Chameleon jumped onto a descending later. "Pull me up!" The Chameleon scrambled into the empty vehicle. "We have to fly, now!"

The rocket sled's engines turned on automatically. Rick was struggling against his bonds when the sled roared to life and shot off down the track. He was thrown against the driver seat when two massive green hands came down and plucked him out of the seat. He watched as the sled roared down the track before it crashed headlong into the safety wall and exploded.

He winched a little when the Hulk tore his handcuffs free. She grunted without looking at him and jumped away towards the fight. Rick looked around the desolate area. "Huh. Guess I'm walking back."

While the Chameleon was an expert at mimicking people, there were simply a few things he couldn't do. Copy fighting styles was one of them. General Ross never had a chance of fighting Captain America, not even twenty years go. The Chameleon leaned back in the helicopter, he finally noticed his hand and the missing pin. "Oh no."

Captain America looked at the grenade carefully. It was ticking, but the fact that it hadn't exploded yet was a good sign. He readied to throw his shield over it when the Hulk landed nearby. She took one look at the weapon and shoved him away.

She tossed herself over the grenade and held it close as Cap heard a muffled explosion. The Hulk stood up on wobbly legs, metal shards falling away from her bright green skin. "Hulk, are you ok?"

"Hulk…not feel" the Hulk swayed on her feet before collapsing. Before Cap's eyes, her skin darkened to its normal tone as the muscle shrank.

Cap glared at the retreating helicopter as he picked Betty up. "Another time, Chameleon."

Cap met up with Rick a few minutes later as the teen showed up in a jeep. "Found it with the keys in it!" He joked as he slipped his jacket over Betty.

"Let's get her to the hospital first Rick, then we worry about the Chameleon. After this we have to head back to New York. The Avengers have something they want to talk about."

The Chameleon leaned back in his seat. "No grenade, no information…wait" he sat forward. "Who is controlling this?"

The Leader's voice rang out over the speaker. "I am. I admit I'm disappointed you failed to get the grenade, but I was able to witness its effects. Impressive. Your fee has been transferred via wire. This helicopter will land exactly three miles from the nearest town. After that it will explode, so I'd suggest you move quickly."

"I though you'd be angry?" The Chameleon was still on edge.

"Of course, but you did your best, I avoided detection, and I still learned information about my opponents. A victory is still a victory." The Chameleon leaned back in his seat and smiled.

The end

Based on "Enter…the Chameleon!" which was first published in Tales to Astonish I#62 (December 1964) with credits to Stan Lee (script), Steve Ditko (pencils), George Bell (inks), and Sam Rosen (letters).

Sensational Lore

From Darci

Actually, more of this story derives from Tales to Astonish#62. Two characters of lasting importance debuted in #62: Glen Talbot and the Leader (the one who sent the Chameleon to the base). In Stan Lee's original version, Betty begins to waver in her devotion to Dr. Banner after some heroics by Major Talbot. This would culminate in her becoming Mrs. Talbot many years later. It's difficult to see how you'll work out that triangle!

Thanks! Yeah, now the path starts to move. Will Betty end up with the brave scientist or the dashing soldier? You'll just have to keep reading to find out.

Next time check out when "A Titan Rides a Train!"

Tales to Astonish#22-On the Trail of the Human Top!

Journey into Mystery#24-Beware the Gray Gargoyle!

The Avengers#10-Introducing: Wonder Man!

Amazing Fantasy#15-Reader's Choice


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